Can OT Scientists Settle an Intra-Office Debate? Are Police Dogs Real Officers?

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I am looking for a definitive legal answer from those in the know

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You've come to the right place, sir

If my aunt had a dick, would she be my uncle?

The fact that they selectively treat them as officers is bullshite. Did the cop that left the police dog in the hot car with the windows up get charged with killing a cop? No.

They're fricking dogs, not people.

A casket for a dog? Get the frick outta here.

Varies by state


edit: I see now there is a federal law protecting all LE animals (dogs, horses, etc).

In Louisiana you can get 1-3 years for injuring or killing a police dog

And $5000-$10,000 fine

See La. R.S. 14:102.8

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Q: If you were to kill a police dog while he was serving in the line of duty, could you be charged with felony murder/cop killing?

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It depends on specific State statutes but generally no. In Louisiana, for instance, killing an officer in the performance of his official duties is a first degree murder per LRS 14:30.
(Relevant portions)

A. First degree murder is the killing of a human being:
(2) When the offender has a specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm upon a fireman, peace officer, or civilian employee of the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory or any other forensic laboratory engaged in the performance of his lawful duties, or when the specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm is directly related to the victim's status as a fireman, peace officer, or civilian employee.

B.(1) For the purposes of Paragraph (A)(2) of this Section, the term "peace officer" means any peace officer, as defined in R.S. 40:2402, and includes any constable, marshal, deputy marshal, sheriff, deputy sheriff, local or state policeman, commissioned wildlife enforcement agent, federal law enforcement officer, jail or prison guard, parole officer, probation officer, judge, attorney general, assistant attorney general, attorney general's investigator, district attorney, assistant district attorney, or district attorney's investigator, coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner investigator.


Per 40:2402
(3)(a) "Peace officer" means any full-time employee of the state, a municipality, a sheriff, or other public agency, whose permanent duties actually include the making of arrests, the performing of searches and seizures, or the execution of criminal warrants, and is responsible for the prevention or detection of crime or for the enforcement of the penal, traffic, or highway laws of this state, but not including any elected or appointed head of a law enforcement department. (b) "Peace officer" shall also include those sheriff's deputies whose duties include the care, custody, and control of inmates. (c) "Peace officer" shall also include full-time military police officers within the Military Department, State of Louisiana. (d) "Peace officer" shall also include full-time security personnel employed by the Supreme Court of the state of Louisiana. (4) "Training center" means any school, academy, institute, or any place of learning whatsoever, which offers or conducts a law enforcement training course.


ETA:
Like Ash said..

LRS 14:102.8
102.8. Injuring or killing of a police animal
A. Injuring or killing of a police animal is the intentional infliction of great bodily harm, permanent disability, or death upon a police animal.
B. As used in this Section:
(1) "Police animal" means:
(a) Any dog which is owned or the service of which is used by any state or local law enforcement agency for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity, enforcement of laws, or apprehension of offenders.
(b) Any dog which is owned or the service of which is used by any public safety agency and which is trained in accordance with the standards of a national or regional search and rescue association to respond to instructions from its handler in the search for possibly deceased individuals and in the search and rescue of lost or missing individuals and which dog, together with its handler, is prepared to render search and rescue services at the request of a public safety agency.
(c) Any horse which is used by a state or local law enforcement officer in the course of his official duty.
(2) "Public safety agency" means any agency of the state or political subdivision of the state which provides or has authority to provide law enforcement, fire protection, emergency medical services, emergency preparedness services, or any other type of emergency services.
C. It shall be an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this Section when the injuring or killing of a police animal is committed with the reasonable belief by one not involved in or being apprehended for the commission of any offense or by one taken into custody that:
(1) He is in imminent danger of losing his life or receiving great bodily harm and that the injuring or killing is necessary to save himself from that danger.
(2) Another person not involved in or being apprehended for the commission of any offense is in imminent danger of losing his life or receiving great bodily harm and that the injury or killing is necessary to save that person from that danger.
(3) His animal or other property not involved in the commission of any offense or in the apprehension of any person for an offense is in imminent danger of being destroyed or receiving grave injury or damage that may result in its destruction.
D.(1) Whoever commits the crime of injuring or killing of a police animal shall be fined not less than five thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars, or imprisoned with or without hard labor for not less than one year nor more than three years, or both.
(2) Upon a second or subsequent conviction, regardless of whether the second or subsequent offense occurred before or after the first conviction, the offender shall be fined not less than five thousand dollars and not more than ten thousand dollars, or imprisoned with or without hard labor for not less than five years nor more than seven years, or both.
E. In addition to the foregoing penalties, a person convicted under this Section shall be ordered to make full restitution to the public safety agency suffering a financial loss from the injury or killing of a police animal. If a person ordered to make restitution pursuant to this Section is found to be indigent and therefore unable to make restitution in full at the time of conviction, the court shall order a periodic payment plan consistent with the person's financial ability.

Check the federal laws now.

Do police dogs get paid? Or are we talking slave labor here?

Some will argue being taken care of and fed is payment enough, but if I was dog, I would rather be born into the royalty that my dogs are so I could have the benefit of endless woods and a lake all day, versus being conscripted into a dangerous term of indentured service.

PDLM